


We Can Be Family

by LadyLaurel



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29600439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLaurel/pseuds/LadyLaurel
Summary: Joffrey strangely acts rationally, and doesn't execute Ned Stark. Ned then is with Arya and Gendry through their trip in the Riverlands, and has observed their deepening feelings for each other. How will Ned react when Gendry wants to go off with the Brotherhood Without Banners?
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 12
Kudos: 49





	We Can Be Family

**Author's Note:**

> This kind of spilled out of me, after nearly a year of not writing anything at all, and I'm not sure where I'm going with it. 
> 
> For this fic, the show ages for Arya and Gendry apply. In season 3, Arya is 13 and Gendry is 18.

Ned Stark had not wanted to admit it, but seeing tear filled eyes of his youngest daughter as she ran out of the Brotherhood without Banner’s cave, he knew for certain: his little girl was in love.

It had been growing since the day he had been sent off with Yoren and the other recruits of the Night’s watch, which had included a skinny orphan boy with a fine little sword and young blacksmith’s apprentice. A sisterly sort of affection at first, it had soon turned into a childish crush as the group had traveled up the King’s Road. But it had deepened as dangers had mounted, as she had watched the object of her affection nearly put to death, as they had escaped together from the tortures of Harrenhal, and as they had survived together in the forest until they had come upon the Brotherhood. Blushing side glances and light bantering had turned to contented looks and long, quiet conversations as they sat around the fire each night.  
  
Ned had watched it all and had turned a blind eye, too focused perhaps on keeping them all alive and making sure that no one would realize the identities of two of his traveling companions. But perhaps, too, he had not wanted to see Arya grow up too much, despite all she had witnessed and done. It was a foolish hope that she perhaps could return to her carefree self once she was safely back at Winterfell.

No, she had done too much and seen too much for that, though she was yet just three and ten. Finding love, real love, and not the passing fancy of a young maid, should not be a surprise given everything she had endured. They shared experiences of life and death had bonded her to the boy, and the boy to her.  
  
The boy who happened to be Robert Baratheon’s bastard son.  
  
The old gods, Ned knew, were cruel, but they were also just. He could not tell, though, if Arya falling in love with Gendry was an act of cruelty on the part of the gods, or justice. Justice for the broken promise of Robert and Lyanna’s betrothal; justice for Robert’s desire to bind their houses through the marriage of a son of his to a daughter of Ned’s; justice for Ned’s promise to his dying friend that he would care for Robert’s children.  
  
But cruel, too, to make the son a bastard, and a lowborn one at that. And one that knew his place in the world all too well, even with the shock of being the bastard son of king.  
  
Ned shook his head and sighed. He was not sure what Gendry must have said to Arya to make her so upset, but it must not have been an easy thing to hear to make her react like that. They argued, but always playfully and affectionately. Gendry was a hard lad, tempered by a rough life of back breaking work, but he was gentle at his core. That the boy loved Arya back, Ned was also certain, difference in age notwithstanding. It was not a romantic sort of love on his end, at least not yet, but it was deep, and it was true. He would not hurt Arya carelessly.  
  
Ned followed Arya to the edge of clearing around the cave, where she had gone off by herself. She was sat down with her back to a tree, looking out into the forest, picking up and tearing blades of grass, before throwing them in front of her. She was trying, and failing, to contain her tears, and little trails ran down her cheeks where the dirt had washed away.  
  
Ned knelt beside her and put his arm around her shoulder protectively. “What happened, love?”, he asked.  
  
Arya shook her head and tightened in on herself a bit. But a beat later, she loosened and leaned into Ned’s side. Shaking her head, and letting the tears fall more freely now, she said “Gendry’s so stupid. He wants to join the Brotherhood.”  
  
This was not a huge surprise to Ned, but it still disheartened him. Since he had revealed Gendry’s heritage to the lad, they had spoken many times about what would happen once they reached Riverrun and the safety of the Northern and Riverland forces. Ned had told him of his promise to Robert, and that he would fulfill it any way he could with Gendry; he would take the boy as a ward and teach him how to fight. He would introduce Gendry to King Stannis, who Ned intended to support, and request that the king acknowledge the boy as his nephew. Gendry would help prove the truth Cersei and Jaime Lannister’s treason. One day, Stannis might grant Gendry a holdfast and allow him to found his own house. Gendry had listened each time, asked a few questions, and then shake his head. It was clearly not a life the boy wanted. But Ned had thought that with time, and growing trust, Gendry would see the great good he could do by serving his father's family’s cause.  
  
“Did he say why?”, Ned asked.  
  
“Yes,” Arya sniffed. “He said they’re like family and he’s never had a family. I told him I could be his family, but he…”  
  
Ned nodded. “Go on, love”.  
  
“He said I wouldn’t be his family. I would be m’lady,” I breathed out quickly, choking back a sob. She looked up at Ned, her eyes pleading for him to change things.  
  
But Ned could not. He knew what the boy had meant. The world did not allow highborn lady to be friends with a lowborn bastard boy. Arya was too young and Gendry too honorable for anything to happen between them now, but time and their love for each other would change that very soon. Arya would marry someone else in time, and Gendry would have to watch. That was not a pain Ned would want to give any young man.  
  
“He isn’t wrong, Arya,” Ned said quietly. “  
  
Arya shook her and stood, turning to him, “I don’t understand why. I’ve saved his life and he’s saved mine. We watch over each other. We care about each other. Why can’t we be family?”  
  
“Because he’s lowborn, love,” Ned said. “Even if he’s the son of a king, he’s still lowborn and a bastard. And while it was one thing for you to make friends with lowborn boys when you were young, or to be raised with a bastard brother, you are nearly a woman grown. And grown highborn ladies are not friends with lowborn bastards, let alone family.”  
  
Ned had hoped his words would help Arya understand, but it only seemed to light a fire within her. The girl had steel in her veins, just like her aunt. Ned feared where it would bring her.  
  
“That’s so stupid! None of this makes sense! Why does anyone care who I am friends with?! Why does anyone care if I call him family?!”  
  
“Arya,” Ned stood and walked close to her, keeping calm in the face of her anger “this is how the world is. What do you think it would look like to be family with Gendry? What would your future lord husband say to it?”  
  
“I don’t want to be married to some stupid lord! You once said that I’d marry a high lord and rule his castle, but I don’t want that! I don’t want to be a lady! I don’t want to marry a lord! I want to – “  
  
Arya stopped; her face blanched and her eyes went wide. Then she looked down, stricken. She began to sob. Ned wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest.  
  
“You want to what, love? It’s all right, you can say it,” Ned whispered into her hair.  
  
Arya took several deep breaths and wiped her face into Ned’s sleeve. She looked up at him, and the determination in her face made Ned think he was looking at Lyanna so many years ago.  
  
“I want to marry Gendry,” Arya said, with more resolution in her voice than Ned had ever heard from her.

Ned sighed and pulled her back into his embrace. “I know, love. I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Regarding some of the backstory, I didn't want to go too much into that, but my general thoughts are:
> 
> \- Ned does intend on taking the black, but only after he ensures that Stannis is on the Iron Throne and his family and Gendry are taken care of. 
> 
> \- Ned was immediately locked up upon arriving at Harrenhal, and did not tell anyone that Arya was amongst the other prisoners. He had no idea about the executions until later, and he felt guilty about not saying anything as Gendry and Arya could have died. 
> 
> \- Arya, Ned, Gendry and Hot Pie escaped Harranhall like in the show/books, just with Jaqen H'gar breaking out Ned in addition to everything else he did
> 
> \- As in the show/books, the group meets up with the BWB, who are happy to help Ned. Hot Pie is left at the Inn, but not as payment, as that would insult Ned, but because Hot Pie doesn't want to be on the run anymore. Ned did want to see Beric, which is why they go to the Hollow Hill immediately.


End file.
